This contest is on a roll! And I'm really enjoying reading some of the entries. Well, I'm trying to read all of them, and comment on as many as I can... and seeing some really high talent, here! Thanks for doing this, Jason.

Constructive comments are a wonderful and necessary way that we support each other as writers. However, they must be constructive, i.e., provide useful information on what might be improved. For example, if you find a plot very confusing, you might say, "I'm not sure I understand the motivation of the chicken when it crossed the road." That gives specific information about what might need work. A comment like "whaa??" gives no information except a negative reaction. Those kinds of comments will be removed as unhelpful. Good critiques take more effort.

For my part, if anyone wants to follow up with me about a comment, please click through my name and email me (my email address is on my blogger profile page). I am commenting on all entries, but I don't return to the comment trails and may miss your replies.

Well, I just learned that the blogger comment eating monster is lurking. Some of the comments I left are apparently no longer visible and I doubt they were deleted! A word of caution: Check to make sure you comment was accepted before moving on.

Although a couple of comments have been deleted, that's only about 3 out of 1,000. I've seen other people mentioning that comments have gone missing. The only thing that I guess is that the onslaught of comments at times is overloading Blogger. It's not unusual to have 25 comments coming in 5 minutes.

I sure hope it wasn't me. Like Laurel, I too believe that whomsoever's comment it was, it must have been unintentional.

But you are right, we of all should be aware of the power of words and should be more careful how we use them.

On other note - congratulations on 200 entries. You do realize now you could plan a retirement just running these contests, right? ;) Am sure Aine would like that. (Where is she? Left her comments on her blog. Been ages that she interacted.)

Aniket, that's a great idea. Yes, I'm going to expand the Readers' Choice voting to 10 votes. I'm also going to expand the Readers' Choice awards to 3 and expand the honorable mention group to 20. What a stunning contest!!

The sheer volume of this contest is overwhelming me. But I hope to read as many as I can soon.

And about my absence over at Life is Beautiful... erm, sorry? At first it was the holiday madness that kept me away from the PC. Then we had a total PC crash scare (the week after Christmas)-- thank Merlin I have Jason who missed his calling as a computer geek...er...expert (LOL! You know I absolutely adore and respect those souls we label "geek" or "nerd").

After the PC was resuscitated, my only excuse is that my introverting function took over. :P

But-- I am gearing up with a few new posts! Thanks for sticking with me. You are a dear friend!

In fact, if anyone wants to give me (#161) a tough crit, please feel free. I can take it, she said ducking under the table. If I have a misplaced comma, a plodding plot, confusing sentence structure, whatever! I want to know. I can't improve if I don't know where I screwed up.

Too bad the contest is closed :(I did this for it, maybe someone will enjoy:

NASTY AIRMAILFather, you wanted your name to echo through time. You pulled a poet into the world who could sing your name. You fed him on old poems. But you say the new words are all problems. Platonist. How did you choose a poetess when you believe in aborting poets? I'm almost all wind now, an animal flapping around pretending, caww-cawwiing, just some crow from a shitty Castenada novel at best. I hope you enjoy this postcard flying your way. Soot-black Crow vs cracked branches a better reflection than some idiot's grin, so receive this greeting from your next of kin: caw-cawww!

Anele, everyone is invited to join. The only caveat is that for the next contest, I will probably set a limit to the number of entries (I'm thinking 150). If you send me your email address, I'll add it to my database. I always send out a contest announcement/invitation before contests open.